Keith Srakocic / AP file

Drew Brees give the Saints an edge as the only reliable quarterback in the NFC playoffs, MSNBC.com contributor Bob Cook writes.

Also, if not for Indianapolis, New Orleans would be giving up the most yards per rush — 4.9 — in the NFL. That statistic would seem to play right into Philadelphia’s hands, what with the presence of Brian Westbrook, who had 141 yards on 20 carries against the Giants. That included a 50-yard touchdown run featuring tackling so haphazard, it was one more sign during a long, long, swoon that when Tiki Barber said at midseason he would retire at year’s end, the rest of the Giants actually retired at midseason.

As befitting a team with a poor run defense, on paper the Saints had a great-looking pass defense, ranked third in the NFL, until you got to the part on the paper where it showed touchdown passes. The Saints gave up 26, second from the bottom in the NFL rankings. Their 11 interceptions were fifth-worst. New Orleans’ overall minus-four turnover margin made them the only playoffs team with a negative in that category.

As long as Garcia keeps doing what he’s doing, which is doing no worse than watching his passes fall to the ground, it would seem Philadelphia would be in great shape. The Eagles could hold the ball for long periods and avoid a shootout.

However, the Eagles face many of the same problems as the Saints. For one thing, the run defense is just as bad — fewer yards per attempt at 4.5, but more yards overall, 2,182 to 2,063. Not good when facing Deuce McAllister, who rushed for 1,057 yards, and the surging Reggie Bush, finally beginning to live up to his hype.

New Orleans likely will lean on those backs heavily if it can, because Brees, on paper, would appear to be facing a tough Eagles’ pass defense.

It gave up only 5.8 yards per pass, second-best in the NFL, during the regular season, intercepted 19 balls. However, Eli Manning dinged the Eagles for two touchdowns and threw no interceptions, what with the luxury of having Barber keep the defense in check with 137 yards rushing. Like New Orleans, the pass defense looked good mostly because the run defense didn’t look so hot.

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For New Orleans to advance, it needs Saturday’s game to come to a point in which the quarterback is required to win it. But if Philadelphia can keep things to a point at which Garcia wins by not losing, then the Eagles advance.

Actually, the same strategies apply to New Orleans and Philadelphia the rest of the way through the NFC. Given how many mistakes Hasselbeck and Grossman make, it’s hard to see the winner of Chicago-Seattle going beyond the NFC championship game. So it appears the Saints-Eagles winner will be the team most likely to get blown out in the Super Bowl.

After all, there is still no evidence anyone on any NFC team can be trusted to win, or not to lose, against the AFC’s strongest.

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